In an interview with a pool reporter, referee Scott Green explained the final play in Sunday's Steelers-Chargers game. Troy Polamalu appeared to score on a fumble return after three San Diego laterals on the Chargers' final play.

Officials initially let the score stand on the field but it was overturned by a booth review.

Below is a transcript of Green's interview with Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Reporter: "What happened on the final play of the game?''

Green: "There were several passes. The first pass was illegal, an illegal forward pass. The second pass was backwards. The rule that kills the play is if it hits the ground. There was some confusion on which illegal forward pass we were discussing, and it was decided that the illegal forward pass hit the ground and that would have killed the play, and there was no time remaining so that would end the game.''

Reporter: "The ball was dead once it hit the ground?''

Green: "Yes.''

Reporter: "What is the process of reviewing this?''

Green: "The normal review was a minute. You have a minute to look at it on the screen. The first pass was the one that was illegal, but it only kills the play if it hits the ground. That was incorrect to have killed that at that point. The ruling should have let the play go on. That's just the way that it played out. We believe the second pass was legal.''

Reporter: "So the play was ruled dead because the first pass hit the ground?''

Green: "That's what we ruled, but it didn't hit the ground because it was thrown forward. The rule is if he possesses it, you can let the play go on. If he drops it or it hits the ground, then you kill the play.''

Reporter: "So if the first pass didn't hit the ground, why was the play killed?''

Green: "We didn't kill it on the field. After discussion we decided … there was some confusion over which pass we were talking about, and it was decided that it was the second pass that was illegal that did hit the ground, and therefore we killed the play there.''

Reporter: "But the second pass was legal?''

Green: "I know. The rule was misinterpreted.''

Reporter: "So it should have been a touchdown?''

Green: "We should have let the play go through in the end, yes. It was misinterpreted that instead of killing the play, we should have let the play go through.''

-- John Dudley